Canadian PM is Divali guestAmritsar, October 24
The holy city would have the honour of celebrating this Divali with a VIP. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien is to visit the city on the festive day. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had visited the Golden Temple on October 14, 1997. Heavy security was being organised on the eve of the visit.

Chandigarh, October 24
Despite stiff opposition, hectic preparations are on to hold the World Sikh Convention as scheduled at Mohali on October 26. The organisers of the convention claim that nearly 5,000 delegates are expected to participate in this convention, of which at least 50 odd Sikh scholars will be from abroad.

Kharar, October 24
A local court today remanded Jagnandan Singh, a co-accused in the case of corruption and disproportionate assets against former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in police custody till October 27.

Chandigarh, October 24
Mr Sukhbir Badal, Rajya Sabha MP and son of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, today failed to turn up before the state Vigilance Bureau officials, here for the second round of questioning in connection with the disproportionate assets case registered against the Badal family.

Canadian MP clarifiesChandigarh, October 24
Mr Gurmant Grewal, MP from Canada, today clarified that he neither coined nor used the expression “den of corruption” with reference to Canadian High Commission in New Delhi as attributed to him in a news report published today.

Jalandhar, October 24
Punjab Technical University has signed an agreement with the Army to introduce more technical, management and computer applications degree courses under its distance education programme for serving Army personnel.

Abohar, October 24
A large number of local consumers had to pay their water and sewerage bills at increased rates with arrears today, it being the last day for paying electricity as well as telephone bills.

Punjab BJP to campaign in RajasthanChandigarh, October 24
The President of the Punjab BJP, Mr Avinash Rai Khanna, said today that the state unit had been told by the party high command to campaign in four constituencies —
Ganganagar, Kesri Singh Pur, Sri Karanpur and Sangria — during the Assembly elections in Rajasthan.

Patiala, October 24
The Punjab State Electricity Board today claimed that Congress legislator Raman Bhalla continued to be Member, Administration, and that Akali leader Gurbachan Singh Bachi had joined the board as a member and would be delegated powers in due course.

Bathinda, October 24
The local branch of the Indian Medical Association has condemned the registration of “false” criminal cases against two Ludhiana-based doctors, Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh and Dr Navdeep Singh
Khaira.

Faridkot, October 24
As many as 38 couples belonging to poor families from Moga, Muktsar, Ferozepore and Faridkot tied the nuptial knot in a mass-marriage function organised by the Gurmit Ragi Granthi Sabha at Khalsa Senior Secondary School here today.

Chandigarh, October 24
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Leader of the Opposition Parkash Singh Badal, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress
H.S. Hanspal, President of the BJP (Punjab) Avinash Rai Khanna, in separate statements have greeted the people of the state and the country on the eve of Divali.

Indian writers return from PakAmritsar, October 24
A 10-member Indian delegation of Urdu , Punjabi and Hindi writers, led by Ajit Kaur, a Punjabi writer, returned from Pakistan through the Wagah joint checkpost after attending a literary association of SAARC nations held at Lahore.

An Indian delegation of writers at Amritsar railway station after returning from Pakistan through the Wagah joint checkpost on Friday.
— Photo by Rajiv Sharma

Phagwara, October 24
The much-awaited electric traction between Ludhiana and Jalandhar will be inaugurated on October 29 and thereafter, all the trains from New Delhi and other sides would have electric engines till Jalandhar.

Panchhi remanded in judicial custodyJalandhar, October 24
Sukhwinder Panchhi, who was arrested on allegations of cheating and fraud in a human trafficking case on October 17, was today remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a local court.

Encourage alternative
crops, says VCSAS Nagar, October 24
“Diversification of crops in the state cannot be successful till the Punjab Government arranges for procuring the alternative crops which farmers are being encouraged to grow in the state.”

Hoshiarpur, October 24
The Bulhowal police has arrested Parminder Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police of 4th Indian Reserve Battalion, Jalandhar
Cantt, under Sections 7, 8, 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly taking Rs 1.50 lakh from Ms Rashem Kaur wife of Surjit Singh of Nandachaur village for getting her son appointed as a beldar in Municipal Corporation, Amritsar.

Hoshiarpur, October 24
Two persons were killed and three seriously injured in a road accident near Singhariwala on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur road today. According to the police, the accident occurred when a car coming from Ferozepore collided with a truck.

Pro-VC hits back
at RegistrarPatiala, October 24
Punjabi University Pro-Vice-Chancellor R.N. Pal has made it clear that he is in no mood to give any explanation to Vice-Chancellor Swarn Singh
Boparai. He chided the Registrar for asking him to explain whom he had asked before accepting the post of Honorary Editor of the Indian Council of Social Science and Research.

Jalandhar, October 24
Members of the Jalandhar Industrial Focal Point Extension Association have decided to observe a “black Divali” in protest against show-cause notices issued by the Pujab Small
Industries and Export Corporation threatening to cancel the registration of their plots if they failed to deposit the enhanced cost.

Traders flout administration directions on Divali eveAbohar, October 24
The district authorities had directed the traders that stalls for the sale of firecrackers would be allowed only in open spaces but the direction is not being followed. Traders, occupied half of the Circular road for setting up stalls to sell sweets, firecrackers, fruits and gift packs.